School on lockdown after gun, snake are found in employee's car

VICTORVILLE Ľ An employee of the High Desert Academy of Arts and Sciences was arrested for having a stolen gun on campus Friday morning after heá got in a fight with his girlfriend, officials said.

Michael Anthony Chambers, 28, apparently got into a fight with his girlfriend who also works at the school shortly after 8 a.m. according to San Bernardino County Sheriff's Victorville station officials.

Chambers grabbed the woman by the arm and took her outside to his vehicle, authorities stated.

Deputy Mark James arrived at the school and found the couple in Chambers' car, but the argument had been resolved. She also stated she had not been harmed.

A few minutes later James was called back out to the school due to a 911 hang-up call.

James learned Chambers had a handgun, according to officials.

Investigators searched Chambers and did not find a weapon. But when James searched Chambers' vehicle he located the gun along with a large boa constrictor snake, according to authorities.

Investigators later learned the gun was stolen from Victorville in 2007 and the snake was Chambers' pet.

School officials placed the campus on lockdown for a short time asá deputies arrested the man and secured the area. No one was seriously hurt.

There were reports Chambers held the gun to the woman's head but that could not be verified by sheriff's officials.

Investigators had a difficult time sorting out the details of the incident as they received many conflicting statements from witnesses.

Worried parents picked up their children after receiving a call from school officials and from the students about the incident.

Officials at the school were not available for comment. Chambers' father is director of the school.Chambers was not a teacher at the school, but did perform various computer duties at the campus.

He was arrested for having a firearm on a school campus and receiving known stolen property, and he was booked into Victor Valley Jail. He is being held on $50,000 bail.

Chambers had been previously arrested for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse in 2004 but was convicted of a misdemeanor battery charge in that case.

Beatriz E. Valenzuela may be reached at 951-6276 or at BValenzuela@VVDailyPress.com.

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